Cherished Prize
by CJ Sigh
Summary: Not too good at summaries, sorry. Just take a look.. and see if you like it. Enjoy!


Author's Note: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Chapter One

Serena O'Neal paced the small hotel room restlessly back and forth across the worn, faded carpeting, her long skirts swishing about her slim, shapely legs as she walked with quick, agitated steps. She stopped and shoved a wave of thick, silver-blonde hair back from her high forehead, then glared at the door that led to the hallway, her eyes, usually a seductive smoky grayish-silver, darkening like angry storm clouds.

"Where is he?" she muttered irritably.

Her Uncle Sean had left hours ago after promising to hurry back. Surely, it wouldn't take that long to find sailor's clothing that would fit her. Now, it was dark outside and way past her mealtime. She wss hungry and bored to tears from being locked in this stuffy, small room with nothing to do.

Serena flounce on the bed, and the springs squeaked loudly in protest. She looked about her, her small nose wrinkling in distaste. Her uncle had said many sea captains stayed here while waiting for their ships to be refitted and reloaded before sailing back out to sea, but the hotel had obviously seen better days. Situated on the border between downtown Charleston and Cooper River, it was neither as luxurious as the better hotels in the city or as seedy as those that squatted beside the river harbor, but now Serena wished her uncle had taken her to one of the hotels nearer the port, even if they were less respectable and surrouned by grogshops and brothels. At least she would have been able to pass her time watching the activitiy of the harbor from the window.

She glanced at the window across from her, wondering if she would be able to catch a glimpse of the ships riding anchor since she was on the third floor. Quickly, she rose and walked to the window to push the heavy, faded drapes to the side. she peered through the glass pane, barely able to see the brick wall across from her in the darkness. Then, spying something from the corner of her eyes, she turned her head and craned her neck, seeing the lamplight on the street.

She recalled that the hall ran toward the street. If there was a window at the end of it, she would be able to look out from there. Even if she couldn't see the harbor, at least she would be able to look over the street.

She whirled, and went to the door and unlocked it. Then she hesitated, remembering that her uncle had sternly cautioned her to stay in the room and keep her door locked until her returned. But it was obvious he hadn't rushed back. No, she knew her Uncle Sean's love of gab and ale. He had probably stopped at some grogshop to pass the time wht some of his sailing cronies, completely forgetting about her.

Well, she would be damned if she would sit here one minute more and stare at the walls while he had a grand old time swapping sea tales and ribald jokes with his buddies. Besides, what hard could possibly come to her in the hallway of this dull hotel?

Serena opened the door and peeked out into the darkened hallway. Seeing that it was totally deserted, she stepped out, closed the door softly behind her, and hurried to the window at the end of the narrow corridor. Looking out the window to both sides, she frowned, for she could see nothing of the harbor from there. Disappointed, she dropped her eyes to the street below.

Fortunately, there was a lamplight just outside the window, and she could see people leisurely strolling on the sidewalk below her. She watched as a carriage drove up to the hotel, its metal-rimmed wheels clattering on the cobblestones, and a young, blonde voluptuous woman emerged from it. As the driver closed the door behind her and the woman paid him, Serena frowned, wondering where the woman's escort was, for, from the expensive-looking clothing and haughty carriage, she appeared to be a lady of quality. Did respectable women in Charleston venture out into the night without a male escort? Well, they certainly didn't in Boston, Serena thought wiht disapproval.

Preoccupied with watching the woman below her, Serena didn't notice a door opening in the hall behind her and a man dressed in a white shirt, wiht long, flowing sleeves, and dark breeches stepping into the corridor, his tall, muscular frame outlinded by the light coming from the room behind him. Had she turned at that moment and seen him, she would have been more than surprised, for woman always remembered their first arresting sight of Captain Darien Black. Broad-shouldered, slim-hipped, superbly muscled, his long legs encased in skin-tight breeches and knee high boots, the ruggedly handsome captain, with his ebony hair, flashing dark eyes, and sensuous smile, had a devastating effect on women of all ages. It wasn't just his rugged male beauty that attracted woman. No, it was something much more elemental that drew them. Even if his looks had been quite common, women would have still found him compelling. There was a presence about him, an aura of danger, of unleashed power, of savage maleness that radiated from him, drawing woman to him like a powerful magnet. He wasn't simply all male. No, every fiber of his being bespoke his masculinity, and every women, to one degree or another, answered that primitive call.

Darien's dark eyes narrowed as he peered down the narrow, darkened corridor. He swayed slightly, and only those who knew him well would have realized he was well on the way to becoming intoxicated. He had been drinking steadily all afternoon, waiting for Mina to arrive. Was she playing games with him, thinking by making him wait he would be all the more eager for her lush body, he wondered. He scoffed at the idea. If anyone was eager, it was Mina. She had been chasing him like a bitch in heat ever since her returned to Charleston, arranging these assignations at this out-of-the-way hotel where no one would recognize her as the respectable daughter of one of the wealthiest bankers in town. Respectable? He scoffed again. Why, Mina was as much a whore as any common street doxy or more so, and he strongly suspected she was entertaining ideas of his propsing marriage. The little fool. No woman would ever trap him into marriage. He would never give up his freedom for any woman!

He frowned, spying a figure at the end of the hallway. Mina? Somehow the figure seemed smaller and slimmer. He glanced at the young woman's hair and saw its golden highlights in the lamplight coming from outside. Yes, it was her. Who else could it be wiht that golden hair? But what was she doing staring out the window and acting as though she didn't know he was standing here? More games? He grinned and walked toward Serena with feet as quiet as a cat's.

Suddenly Serena felt herslef being spun around and enfolded in a pair of steely arms. All she could manage was a gasp of surprise before a man's mouth swooped down on hers, his tongue taking quick advantage of her open mouth to slip inside. A hard male body pressed against her, his strong arms almost squeezing the breath out of her.

Serena had been kissed before, but never like this. She turned rigid with shock as Darien's tongue explored her mouth, his tongue swirling around hers. Then indignation replced her shock, and she struggled, pushing against his rock-hard chest, and finally managed to tear her mouth away.

She glared at the audacious stranger, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of his rugged dark good looks revealed to her in the soft lamplight. Then, quickly regaining her senses, she sputtered, "How-how dare you!"

Darien looked down at her in puzzlement. What in the hell was wrong with her, he wondered through he alcoholic haze. Why, she was acting as though she was some innocent virgin. More of her games?

He scowled and jerked her closer, nuzzling the soft crook of her neck and growling, "Cut it out, Mina. I'm not in the mood for your silly games tonight."

Mina? Who was Mina, Serena wondered wildly. Then Darien's warm lips sensuously nibbled her neck, slowling inching upward, a tingle of pleasure ran up her spine, and when his tongue circled her ear, then flicked inside like a fiery dart, her legs turned to water. Fearing she would collapse, she caught his broad shoulders, her body melting into his long,hard length.

Darien groaned and pulled her into a tighter embrace, muttering, "That's better."

As Darien's lips blazed a trail of fiery kisses across her jawline, Serena cried out weakly, "No, wait!"

"For what?" Darien mumbled, teasing the corner of her mouth with his tongue.

My God, Serena thougth, where did he learn to use his tongue like that? She shivered, muttering, "You don't understand. I'm not..." She stopped in mid-sentence as Darien's hand cupped one of her breasts, his slender fingers massaging the soft flesh, his thumb stroking the sensitive peak through her clothing. And then, as his sensous lips closed over hers in a long, searching kiss that seemed to suck the air from her lungs, she was swimming dizzily in a sea of pure tactile sensation.

God, Darien, thought, his own sense reeling as he molded Serena's body to hs long, hard one. Mina had never excited him this much before. He didn't remember her being so soft, her scent so intoxicating, the taste of her skin and mouth so sweet. He shifted his weight and ground his hips into hers, then tremble as he felt his aching need press against her softness.

"Darien? What is the meaning of this?" a sharp femal voice cried out from behind him.

Darien's dark head snapped up, jerking his lips from Serena's. He whirled and saw Mina standing in the shaft of light coming from his room, her hands on her broad hips, a furious look on her face. He shook his head, trying to clear the alcoholic haze that befuddled his brain, and then glanced quickly from one woman to the other. If that was Mina, then who was this delectable creature? He peered down at Serena's face, but was unable to recognize any of her features.

Serena was still whirling form Darien's fiery, passionate kiss when Mina swooped down on them, demanding, "Who is this woman?"

"I'm afraid I don't know," Darien replied with a frown, strangely irritated that Mina had shown up on the scene. "I found her standing out here in the hall and in the dark mistook her for you."

"For me?" Minda asked in an indignant voice. "You mistook this little trollop for me?" She shot Serena a look of pure disqusst.

Serena felt the ugly accusation like a slap in the race, shocking her back to reality. "Trollop!" she gasped.

Mina shoved Darien aside and thrust herself between him and Serena. Glaring down at the dainty girl, she spat, "Yes, trollop! Don't you think I know what you are? You're nothing but a doxy, a common streetwalker, wandering through this hotel in the hope of finding a man for the night."

Was that what she was, Darien wondered. Some cheap whore seeking some business for the night? With all the sea captains staying in this hotel, he imagined the place would offer good pickings. But she had seemed so innocent. There for a minute, when he had felt her body go rigid when his tongue had touched hers, he coud have sworn she had never been kissed like that before. And then her indignation. Had it all been clever act? Then he rememberer her capitulation, how she had melted into him, pressing her soft curves against him. Yes, like all whores, she was a consummate actress, undoubtedly hoping to ake some poor fool think she was a virgin so she could charge him more. Mina was right in her estimation of the girl. After all, Mina should know. It took one to know one. A strange sense of disappointment filled him.

Serena watched the expression on Darien's face harden and the warm glow in his dark eyes disapprea. why, he believes Mina, she thought in horror. Furious at both his brazen treatment of her and the woman's base accusation, Serena sputter impotently, her eyes flashing.

Ignoring her, Mina took Darinen's arm possessively and all but dragged him back down the hallway, saying, "Come on, Darien. Leave the little whore to her business."

Darien allowed Mina to lead him away. As the walked into his hotel room, he disengaged his arm and turned to close the door. Despite himself, he couldn't resist looking back down the hallway at the figure still standing in the darkness, and wishing it was her, instead of Mina, that he was taking to bed. He still tingled where she had pressed against him; her sweet scent still lingered in his nostrils. And God, the taste of her-like nectar from the gods!

"Darien!" Mina shrieked from behind him.

He flinched at the sharp rebuke, then scowled. Damn the little bitch, he thought angerly. Why did she have to show up? If only....

"Darien?" Mina, chaning her tactics, muttered in a low, seductive voice and pressed her lush curves to his muscular back, her arms encircling his trim waist.

Darien shook his head, still trying to clear the alcoholic haze from his brain. What in the hell is wrong with you, he asked himslef in self-disgust. What difference does it make which woman you take to bed? One woman's as good as another between the sheets.

But still, he coudln't help but wonder what making love to _her_ would have been like. 


End file.
